September 8, 2010
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Facts About Hunger

Broward County
According to Million Meals Committee, there are 19 active food pantries in Broward County inclusive of the Soref JCC WECARE Food Pantry, and 4 active food banks.  The Broward Regional Health Planning Council, Inc., Food Security Survey Report notes that 44% of all students enrolled in Broward County elementary schools qualify for free and reduced lunches.  15% of 56,873 Broward children live in poverty.
 
Global 

The Children's Defense Fund released a report on the effects of child hunger and food insecurity, which is defined as the lack of consistent access to enough food to ensure active, healthy living. CDF's report shows that hunger is leaving many of America's families and children behind, with effects that range from health problems to academic achievement delays and social difficulties.

According to the most recent figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 13.3 million American children were food insecure in 2003; of these, 420,000 lived in households where someone had to go hungry. Overall, 36.3 million Americans experienced food insecurity in 2003, 1.4 million more than in 2002, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Lack of dietary diversity and essential minerals and vitamins also contributes to increased child and adult mortality. Vitamin A deficiency impairs the immune system, increasing the annual death toll from measles and other diseases by an estimated 1.3 million-2.5 million children.

Malnutrition can severely affect a child's intellectual development. Malnourished children often have stunted growth and score significantly lower on math and language achievement tests than do well-nourished children.

More than 153 million of the world's malnourished people are children under the age of 5.

Most of the widespread hunger in a world of plenty results from grinding, deeply rooted poverty. In any given year, however, between 5 and 10 percent of the total can be traced to specific events: droughts or floods, armed conflict, political, social and economic disruptions.

Six million children under the age of 5 die every year as a result of hunger.